Opinion: Tim Hortons has turned its back on the blue collar workers that built it

Tim Hortons, the iconic coffee chain, often seen as a symbol of Canadian identity, has built its empire on the backs of working-class Canadians.

Quick-service restaurants and drive-thrus enabling speedy coffee breaks, value-driven menus, and even charitable community initiatives have helped cultivate a reputation for Timmy’s that’s (nearly) as reliable and friendly as Canadians themselves. But it seems that the Hamilton, Ontario-born company (now parented by Restaurant Brands International (RBI), majority-owned by Brazilian investment firm 3G Capital) has forgotten who the real Double Double drinkers are.

According to the website from worker advocacy group, Fight for $15 & Fairness, “Even the business press agrees that attacking their own employees has created a public relations disaster for Tim Hortons. More and more Canadians are demanding justice. A massive public outcry from coast-to-coast could pressure the corporation to reverse the clawbacks on workers’ wages and benefits.”